Entry #660922, added on 07-26-09 @ 6:16 pm EDT
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| Chapter Thirty Eight | Entry #660922 |
Chapter Thirty Eight
When Stubbs arrived at the Commonwealth Club it was already early evening. He had left the hospital at 6pm, after a long and interesting conversation with Henry. Now Stubbs’s head was spinning with information, how much of it he trusted or even wanted to believe he couldn’t decide. Though whether truth or not he now felt that a certain chain was definitely forming; The Baron’s ring, the professor’s murder, the rise in missing persons, even the animal attacks if Henry was right. Stubbs hadn’t been sure exactly what Henry was involved in, but now it seemed he was a pivotal figure in a conspiracy far more complex than he could ever have imagined. There was so much he needed to follow up on and so much that needed investigation, but it was already getting late and he had no intention of missing his appointment with Rawlings, so despite his frustration he caught a cab from the hospital straight to the club. On the short journey Stubbs began to piece together all of the events over the last few months, and with what Henry had told him tried to distinguish fact from fanciful theorising. Despite his eagerness he couldn’t stop his mind from flashing back to his actions in the hospital. The way his emotion had made him so aggressive. These thoughts troubled him. He was beginning to truly worry that he was losing himself. Thoughts of Jayne and little Danny helped to clear his head again. If they only knew what he was becoming, they would be so disappointed. This feeling of shame was still with him as the coach pulled up to the Commonwealth Club. As Stubbs got out of the carriage he was met by a rather annoyed looking Rawlings. “Sorry I’m late sir, I was tying things up at the hospital.”
“Oh it’s not you Stubbs, don’t worry.” Rawlings drew long upon his cigarette before exhaling a jet of smoke.
“Is everything ok sir?” Stubbs enquired sensing a distinct mood from the Assistant Commissioner.
“It was.” He replied “Until I ran into Hatchett.”
“I’m sorry sir?”
“Rupert Hatchett. Or should I say ‘the honourable Sir Rupert Hatchett.”
“The politician?”
Rawlings just mumbled his agreement. Stubbs was left hanging on this statement, waiting for some further enlightenment which wasn’t going to come.
“Not to worry man” Rawlings flicked his cigarette into the gutter and patted Stubbs on the back. “Let’s get to it.” Slightly bewildered Stubbs began to mount the steps to the Commonwealth Club before being abruptly dragged by the arm in the opposite direction.
“Sir?” Stubbs enquired.
“Er…this way I think.” Rawlings stepped out into the street and walked towards a small tavern on the opposite side of the road. Stubbs followed feeling quite lost for the Assistant Commissioners logic. As he neared the tavern door he could hear a commotion erupt from the Conservative Club entrance as the doors flung open and several smartly dressed gentlemen emerged all carrying the moaning body of an even more smartly dressed and rather important looking man. They carried him down the stairs to the carriage that Stubbs had left waiting. A crowd of concerned onlookers followed the procession from the building to the cab, all busying around and chatting fervently. Stubbs squinted to try and make out the injured party; a robust looking, be-medalled gentleman nursing a bloody nose and obviously milking the attention.
“Take me to a bloody doctor!” He shouted at the coach driver as he was bundled into the carriage.
“Isn’t that Sir Hatchett?” Stubbs asked tentatively. Rawlings glanced over at the commotion, “Sounds like the pompous windbag. For God’s sake I only tapped him.” Stubbs turned to look at Rawlings, “Remember Chief, titles don’t make a man. Just cause you may be married to the Prime Ministers sister doesn’t mean you’re not an arsehole.” A slight half smile forced its way onto Stubbs’s face. “Suffice to say my questioning wasn’t appreciated and tonight we shall be debriefing in this fine looking establishment.” Stubbs nodded before Rawlings continued, “I can understand why Jennings hung out there, lots of self-graciating knobs in there. Fancy a drink Chief?”
“Wakey wakey!” The constable guarding Henry’s room firmly tapped Henry upon his head with his truncheon.
“Wha…what?” Henry awoke from an already disturbed sleep to see the officer standing next to him with a rather evil smile grin upon his face. “You’ve got visitors Mr. Perkins.” The officer gestured towards the door. Henry struggled to turn his head but gave up against the pain in his neck. From the corner of his eye he could make out two figures both hidden by the shadows of the dimly lit corridor.
Sat in a booth at the ‘Red Lion’ tavern, the Chief Inspector and Assistant Commissioner both nursed a pint of ale. A regular haunt for off-duty officers, a visible space had developed around the two men as the junior officers and other regulars decided to keep their distance.
“It’s quiet in here tonight.” Rawlings remarked.
“Er…I think that’s probably to do with us sir. I tend to try and give the officers a bit of space outside of work.”
“Nonsense Stubbs, we’re all men here, drink up.”
“Yes sir.”
“Stubbs less of the formalities eh? When a pints in my hand I’m plain old James.” Rawlings stretched a toothy smile across his face.
“Ahem.” Stubbs nodded towards an officer that had approached their booth.
“Mind if I join you for a drink?”
Rawlings turned to face the man, “Fuck off! This is official police business.” The shocked man backed away politely, “Sorry Sir!”
Rawlings turned back to Stubbs. “So did Mr. Perkins have anything to say?”
“A few interesting things, but nothing concrete. I wanted to follow up on a few things before I brought them to you.”
“Good man. I don’t care for speculation or hearsay. Facts, that’s what I deal with.”
“That’s why I’d rather not bother you with it till I’ve got something more.”
“Ok well let me tell you what I’ve found out whilst in the Commonwealth Club … Absolutely nothing. Nothing I didn’t already suspect anyway. Jennings was a regular, almost every night. Well known and accepted. Bit of a blabber mouth by the sounds of it. Apparently hung around with a few in particular. All men of standing including a couple of familiar names; Hartington and Bruskey. Recently he was seen sharing a few drinks with Maxton Silas of all people.” At this Stubbs raised his eyebrows, “I know that surprised me too, always thought he had better taste than that. Everything turned out to be dead ends though. All tight lipped about the daughter situation.” Rawlings tapped his nose with his finger. “That’s what these gentlemen’s clubs are all like. Hush hush.”
“So what about the bomb site? Anything there? Cause from what I saw that had some seriously dodgey stuff going on.”
“Well Burghoe and Baranaby sniffed out some corpses but all well past their expiry date. Not much else, the blast had destroyed most of the place and then the ensuing fire got rid of anything else. Half the place has fallen down now, so no we found nothing of any real consequence.”
“Have we identified the bodies?”
“No, all too decomposed. We’re trying to cross-reference with reports for missing persons over the last year, clothes that sort of thing. Building was owned by a Mr. Blackwall, thing is we can’t find any trace of the man. May not even exist for all we know. Whatever went on there obviously was above board cause someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to cover their tracks. Well, I’ll leave the rest to you John, I hear you like a good mystery, I’ve got far too many other pressing matters to get caught up in one of these cases.”
“Certainly sir, sorry I mean James.”
“Look I have got some news for you though, regarding the Jennings girl.”
Stubbs leaned across the table towards Rawlings. “Yes?” His eyes widened in anticipation, “How is she?”
“Well in a stable state considering what she’s been through. The amazing thing is that Jennings never actually finished the job. She’s still carrying!”
“What!”
“I know, he made a right bloody mess of her, burnt her up pretty badly but never actually aborted the thing. She lost a lot of blood though, and is gonna be scarred for life.”
“Oh my god. I…I’m lost for words. The poor girl.”
“Now I’m not a judgemental person, but even I was taken aback when I heard she’s actually keeping the baby!”
“Really? No?” Stubbs’s reaction was every bit as astounded as Rawlings had been.
“I’m afraid it’s off to The Mumbles for her.”
Stubbs was still in shock, “They’re sending her away?”
“The family have disowned her.”
“But she did nothing wrong?”
“She wants to keep the baby, that’s more than enough cause, you know that.”
Stubbs sighed and dropped back into his seat. “But The Mumbles?”
“Afraid so, she’s just another lost child now.”
Stubbs sat in silence simply processing the information. He took a long sip of his pint.
“Cigarette?” Rawlings asked offering his packet.
“You know what, I think I need one. Surely today can’t get any worse?”
Rawlings raised his eyebrows, “Ahh, well. I’m afraid it can.”
Stubbs looked at Rawlings with a certain amount of futility as he waited for the bombshell.
“It’s your round.”
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